Five Killed As Amazon Cargo Plane Crashes At Miami Airport, Recalling 2019 Fatal Disaster

Five people were killed and five injured after an Amazon cargo Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air overran a runway at Miami International Airport, struck vehicles and caught fire. The NTSB has launched an investigation. The crash also recalls the 2019 Atlas Air Flight 3591 disaster, another Boeing 767 freighter operating for Amazon, which crashed into Trinity Bay, Texas, killing all three people aboard. Investigators have not indicated any connection between the two accidents.

At least five people have been killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport, crashed into several vehicles and burst into flames.
The Boeing 767-300 freighter, operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air for Amazon, was landing at around 2 p.m. on Sunday after flying from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it ran beyond the end of the usable runway.
The aircraft crossed into an area outside the runway and struck multiple vehicles before coming to a stop and catching fire.
Three of the five injured people were critically hurt, while two others were hospitalised with less serious injuries. Authorities have not yet determined whether all five people who died were inside the aircraft or on the ground.

PILOTS AND PEOPLE ON THE GROUND TRAPPED

The crash created a complex rescue operation.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said more than 60 emergency units and about 200 personnel responded to the scene.
The pilot and co-pilot were trapped inside the cockpit, while people in vehicles struck by the aircraft also required rescue.
Firefighters battled the flames and a continuing fuel leak several hours after the crash.
The aircraft was eventually secured, allowing emergency crews to concentrate on the injured and on preserving the crash site for investigators.

32-YEAR-OLD BOEING 767

The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 freighter.
According to flight-tracking data, the plane was travelling at approximately 112 knots — about 129 mph — when it left the usable runway.
The aircraft had originally been built as a passenger plane and operated for different airlines before being converted into a freighter.
It was being operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon's cargo operation.

INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE

The cause of the crash remains unknown.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation, with NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy leading the team.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data, runway conditions, weather, the landing approach and the actions of the crew.
Early reports noted thunderstorms and strong winds in the area, but authorities have not established that weather caused the accident.
Investigators are also examining whether the aircraft touched down too far along the runway and whether other factors contributed to its failure to stop.

MIAMI AIRPORT TEMPORARILY SHUT DOWN

The accident caused major disruption at one of America's busiest cargo airports.
All runways and taxiways were temporarily closed following the crash, while emergency crews worked at the scene.
More than 160 flights were cancelled and about 325 delayed during the disruption.
Flights eventually resumed later on Sunday, although significant delays remained.

AMAZON SAYS IT IS DEVASTATED

Amazon expressed sympathy to the victims and their families and said the company was working closely with authorities to determine what happened.
21 Air also expressed condolences and pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
The crash has raised renewed attention on the safety of cargo operations involving older Boeing 767 aircraft, although the age of the aircraft alone does not establish that it played any role in this accident.

A SIMILAR AMAZON CARGO CRASH IN 2019

Sunday's disaster is particularly significant because it is not the first fatal crash involving an aircraft operating for Amazon's cargo operation.
In February 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operating for Amazon Prime Air, crashed into Trinity Bay near Houston, Texas, while approaching George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
All three people on board were killed.
The aircraft had been flying from Miami to Houston when it entered a rapid descent and crashed into the bay.
The National Transportation Safety Board later determined that the 2019 accident involved inappropriate control inputs and the crew's response to an unexpected activation of the aircraft's automatic flight-control system.
That crash also involved a Boeing 767 freighter operating for Amazon, making the latest Miami accident particularly striking.
However, there is currently no evidence that the two accidents were connected or that they had the same cause.

THE 2019 CRASH CHANGED AMAZON'S CARGO SAFETY STORY

The 2019 tragedy was one of the most serious accidents involving Amazon's growing air-cargo network.
At the time, Amazon relied heavily on partner airlines to transport packages, including Atlas Air.
The company has since continued expanding its air-cargo operation as it seeks greater control over the movement of goods through its logistics network.
Sunday's crash therefore comes at a time when Amazon Air has become a major part of the company's global delivery system.

MIAMI IS A MAJOR CARGO HUB

Miami International Airport plays a particularly important role in Amazon's cargo network and in trade between the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The airport handled nearly 3.5 million metric tonnes of cargo last year, making it the third-busiest U.S. airport for freight, according to airport figures cited by Reuters.
That means an accident at Miami has consequences beyond the immediate loss of life, potentially affecting a major supply chain connecting North and South America.

QUESTIONS NOW FACING INVESTIGATORS

Investigators will now attempt to reconstruct the final moments of Flight 7598.
Among the questions they will need to answer are why the aircraft left the runway, whether it landed at the expected point, how quickly it was travelling when it ran off the runway and whether weather or mechanical issues played any role.
They will also examine the runway's safety features and the area beyond the runway where the aircraft eventually struck vehicles.
The NTSB is expected to provide more information as investigators examine the wreckage and recover flight data.

ANOTHER TRAGEDY FOR AMAZON'S AIR CARGO OPERATION

For Amazon, the Miami crash is a painful reminder of the risks involved in moving millions of packages through a global aviation network.
The company faced another devastating loss in 2019 when three people died in the Atlas Air crash in Texas.
Now, seven years later, another Boeing 767 operating for Amazon has been involved in a fatal accident — this time at one of the company's most important cargo hubs.
While investigators have yet to establish the cause of Sunday's crash, the immediate focus remains on the victims, their families and the survivors recovering from the disaster.
The investigation will determine whether the tragedy was caused by human factors, mechanical problems, weather, runway conditions or a combination of circumstances.